Tip #54: Question a fuel surcharge on a tow bill
If a tow company adds a fuel surcharge on top of a per-mile rate, ask what the mileage charge is for. Fuel is part of driving the truck, and the per-mile rate should already cover it.
Tip #54 in one line
If a tow company adds a fuel surcharge on top of a per-mile rate, ask what the mileage charge is for. Fuel is part of driving the truck, and the per-mile rate should already cover it.
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Call nowFuel is already in the mileage
A tow is usually priced as a hook fee plus a charge per mile. The per-mile charge exists because moving a truck costs money: fuel, tires, wear, the driver's time on the road. When a separate fuel surcharge appears on the same bill, you are entitled to ask what the mileage is paying for if not fuel.
Some companies add a fuel line when fuel prices rise and never take it off. Others add it only at the end, after the car is loaded, when the driver knows you are unlikely to argue. Either way, it is a number you did not hear when you agreed to the job.
Watch for the same idea under other names: an energy fee, an environmental fee, an equipment fee. Each one may sound reasonable on its own. Added together, they can turn a fair tow into an expensive one without the hook fee or the per-mile rate ever changing.
One call, one flat quote, 24/7.
Call nowWhat to ask on the phone
Ask the dispatcher one direct question before the truck is sent: is the price you just gave me the total, or will anything be added? Then ask by name about fuel, after-hours, and admin or paperwork fees. A company with a clean price says no to all of them in one breath. A company that hesitates or says it depends on the driver is telling you the bill may change.
Ask for the answer in a text or email. If a fuel charge shows up later on a bill that was quoted without one, you have it in writing.
One call, one flat quote, 24/7.
Call nowHow we handle it
We do not charge a fuel surcharge. A tow from us is a flat hook fee plus a per-mile rate to the destination you choose, quoted as one total on the call. On a long run, tolls on the route are counted in that same quote, so you hear them up front rather than on the receipt. Long distance towing explains how a longer run is built.
Roadside jobs, including fuel delivery when you run dry, are one flat price each. You pay for the fuel we put in your tank, not an extra fee for our truck's fuel. Call (908) 444-0129 and ask the dispatcher to read you the whole price before you say yes.
One call, one flat quote, 24/7.
Call nowMore on towing rules & pricing
Keep reading, or go back to every post on the blog.
- Flatbed vs wheel-lift towing: which does your car need?
- What happens to your car after a police-ordered tow in New Jersey
- Towed from private property in New Jersey: your rights
- Towing pricing red flags in New Jersey
- Local tow company vs national roadside network: who actually shows up?
- Moving a car long distance from New Jersey: towing vs car carrier
- Tip #34: Choose the destination before the truck arrives: home, shop or dealer
- Tip #35: Ask the destination about storage charges before you pick it
- All posts
Need towing and roadside assistance right now? One call, truck on the way.
Real dispatcher, 24 hours a day. Quoted price before we roll.